SOUTH TRUNK RAILWAY

Evening Star, Issue 20321, 1 November 1929, Page 16

SOUTH TRUNK RAILWAY

PROGRESS AND POSSIBILITIES [Special to the * Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, October 81. Although the completion of the South Island main trunk railway is provided for in the Railway Authonsa tion Bill, which was introduced in the House yesterday, _it is hardly likely that the construction work on the Pav-nassus-Conway River section can be commenced for at least a couple ot months. The route for the line over this section has now been definitely selected, and at present it is being pegged out, but no steps have yet been taken to take the land necessary for 'the railway. The Public Works Act provides that in fa case in which it is necessary to. take land for the pur poses of the Crown, forty days’ notice of such intention nmst be advertised, and at the expiration of that period a proclamation is to be issued taking the land. It is, therefore, hardly likely that much car. be done on this section of tlu line before the end of this year So far no arrangements have been made for the establishment of camps at Parnassus, although a considerable amount of work is already in progress at the Wharanui end, authority having previously been obtained for the con struction'of several miles of railway on this section The Public W 7 orks estimates provide for an expenditure ol up to £45,000 on the railway during the financial year ending on March 31 next, and probably the bulk of this money will be spent at the northern end.